James Aldon Hendrix
1922-2002
Biographical Sketch On The Life Of Aldon Hendrix
A faithful soldier of Christ has completed his work on earth and entered into his rest. James Aldon Hendrix was born May 17, 1922. He died March 4, 2002. He was born and reared in Appleton, a community in Lawrence County, Tennessee. He was the son of James D. and Ethel Mae Stennitt Hendrix. Aldon had five sisters and one brother. From his early years he was determined to be a preacher. While attending Appleton Elementary school at the age of eight or nine, he would stand on a stump in the school yard and preach to the boys and girls what he had heard from T. C King, J. T. Harris or Claud Thomas on Sunday. Many of his friends called him "Preacher" from that day until his death.
Aldon graduated from Loretto, Tennessee High School in 1943 and entered David Lipscomb College that fall. After completing two years at David Lipscomb, he was married to Norma Perry on August 9, 1944. On September 12 of that year he and Norma moved to Los Angeles, California where he began classes at George Pepperdine College and received his degree there in 1946. Aldon and Norma have four daughters.
Not only was Aldon determined
to preach from his youth, but he was a great athlete. He was outstanding
as a basketball player in high school, at David Lipscomb and at George
Pepperdine. Aldon began part time preaching in 1942 at Appleton Church
of Christ and then began full time work with the church in Lexington,
Alabama in 1946, just after he graduated from college. For several years
he preached and taught school also. He taught school and coached
basketball at Rogersville,
Lexington and Mars Hill Bible School in
Alabama. His full time preaching work was with the Lexington, Shiloh,
Atlas, Mt. Zion and Woodlawn Churches of Christ in Lauderdale County,
Alabama, the Minerva Drive Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
and with the St. Joseph Church of Christ in St. Joseph, Tennessee. He
has conducted meetings in many states, and we have no way of knowing how
many funerals he has conducted. Aldon loved people and they loved him
and he was called on to conduct funerals up to not long before he died.
Aldon loved the Lord and was a faithful Christian. He loved the church and he loved to preach. His preaching work covered a span of 60 years. He was sound in the faith and stood firmly for the truth. He had a melodious voice and was a talented singer. He loved his family and he loved to work in his garden. He loved to hunt and fish. He truly lived a well-rounded and balanced life.
After brother Hendrix retired from full time preaching work, he continued to conduct meetings and teach Bible classes until his life ended suddenly on March 4, 2002. His funeral was conducted at the Shiloh Church of Christ building on March 7, at which four of his grandson's and I eulogized his life.
Aldon's motto was, "I am ready," to preach the gospel. He was ready to die for the Lord whom he loved. The guiding principles by which he lived were: think right, live right, talk right, walk right and die right. I am convinced that he lived these principles faithfully.
-Gilbert Kretzer,
Evangelist, 501 Wilson Dam Road, Florence,
AL 35630
-World Evangelist, October, 2002, page 7
Directions To The Grave Of J.A. Hendrix
Aldon Hendrix is buried in Lauderdale County, Alabama. From Florence, go East on US 72 to Killen; North on US 43 to Green Hill; West on County Road 344 to Shiloh Church of Christ. The cemetery is located in Section 18, Township 1, Range 9. The cemetery is in two Sections. Section 1 is between the highway and the driveway through the cemetery, with the rows numbered from the East end of the cemetery - away from the church. Section 2 is on the North side of the driveway, with rows numbered from the West end of the cemetery - near the church. Aldon Hendrix is in Section 1, on the north side, next to the dirt road, and about four in back toward the church building from the cross road. Enter little road in center of cemetery and go the end of the road. Look toward the west(direction of the church building) and count in five rows. The Hendrix monument will be the first one on the row.
James Alden Hendrix
34°57'50.3"N 87°31'44.3"W
or D.d. 34.963969, -87.528973
Accuracy to 15ft
Grave Faces East.
Wayne Kilpatrick, Pictured Here, Was Baptized By
Aldon Hendrix
James Aldon
May 17, 1922
Mar. 4, 2002
Another Preacher Buried At Shiloh Church - L.R. Kretzer
Lenon Royce Kretzer
GPS Location of the grave:
34°57'49.4"N 87°31'44.5"W
or D.d. 34.963717, -87.529017
Accuracy to 15ft
Grave Faces East.
Lenon Royce Kretzer
Mar. 6, 1930 - Nov. 29, 1984
In Loving Memory